John Ford, Director

[Serendipity09]

John Ford [February 1, 1895 - August 31, 1973] won more Oscars than any other director four for feature films and two for documentaries. He made dozens of films, both silent and sound, and many brilliant directors, including Orson Welles and Steven Spielberg, cite him as an influence. He described himself as a plain-spoken man who made westerns, and there is a rocky point named for him in Utah’s Monument Valley, backdrop to many a western film. Famously prickly, and disliked by actors for his inability to give them clear direction, he nevertheless drew great performances from his players and produced several masterpieces - and not only westerns.

The Informer
The Long Voyage Home
How Green Was My Valley
The Grapes of Wrath
The Quiet Man

[STRAIGHT]

He was a great director who made some great films.

[TheMysterian]

He made the best westerns

[Alchemistical]

"The Searchers" is one of my all-time favs!

[RaRaRamona]

I love Informer!!!!!!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtILx...eature=related

[More Cheese Please]

Stagecoach is one of my favs!

[radiojane]

He pops up in some old star bios, and there are always great stories about his legendary drinking parties.

In her bio on Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Leaming tried to paint him as "the love of her life". Pretty much bull, as it was a fairly short and almost definitely a non sexual affair. Apparently his family wasn't particularly thrilled with the book.

[MoonRabbit]

He was such a great director! I love his Westerns! Especially with the DUKE.

But I heard he was a bastard. Especially with Maureen O'Hara.
He once hit her in front of guest. That's in her book.

[theotherlondon]

When ever I watch a John Ford western movie.
A person should always watch for the Monument
Valley picture in the background.

[Giada]

Ford was a director's director. One of my favorites films was The Quiet Man.

[crazedfemale]

Has anyone else seen The Horse Soldiers with John Wayne, William Holden and Constance Towers? Every great character actor seemed to have a bit part in this movie. Even tennis great Althea Gibson has a role as a slave. It's been showing on the MGM channel. Great movie.

[salvatore1989]

Another one of America's greatest directors.

[Filmmaker78]

I have a great biography on him. Ford was the son of Irish immigrants, and his real name was John Feeney. His older brother, Francis, moved out to California to be an actor in the old Western serials, and John followed him out. John's bro picked the name "Ford" as his screen name, thus creating the name "Francis Ford," which I find interesting. Francis Ford became a well-known actor in the Western serials and I wonder if it had any impact on Coppola's parents.

When John moved out to California, he took the same fake last name his brother had, and John Feeney became John Ford. The film serials at the time were done pretty loosely -- kind of like the indie student films of today. There was a lot of crossover and opportunities for stuntmen to become actors, and actors to take over directing. The studios didn't really care who did these low budget projects -- they just wanted them done.

So John and his bro both started acting and directing with these small projects, although John obviously gravitated more toward directing.

(The book is called Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford.)

[radiojane]

I have a great biography on him. Ford was the son of Irish immigrants, and his real name was John Feeney. His older brother, Francis, moved out to California to be an actor in the old Western serials, and John followed him out. John's bro picked the name "Ford" as his screen name, thus creating the name "Francis Ford," which I find interesting. Francis Ford became a well-known actor in the Western serials and I wonder if it had any impact on Coppola's parents.

When John moved out to California, he took the same fake last name his brother had, and John Feeney became John Ford. The film serials at the time were done pretty loosely -- kind of like the indie student films of today. There was a lot of crossover and opportunities for stuntmen to become actors, and actors to take over directing. The studios didn't really care who did these low budget projects -- they just wanted them done.

So John and his bro both started acting and directing with these small projects, although John obviously gravitated more toward directing.

(The book is called Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford.)

I'll have to get the book. It sounds great.

I know some of the "low budget" shoot stories from my other biographies. They really were amazing to contrast between the huge budget, tightly controlled star vehicles.

[disco]

I really enjoyed his work as a kid. Later I would watch these on the late show. One of my favs was she wore a yellow ribbon. To me john ford was a classic western director, but he had good competition from the lone ranger and tonto, the cisco kid, and maverick. I thought one of his best was how the west was won, but I didnt care much for the quiet man.

[candleinthewind]

Quirky dude. Lots of rumors about his sexuality. He had poor eyesight but the patch was more of an affectation.

I love celeb gossip, esp old gossip but I can never remember what book I got my info from. In his circle, cross dressing parties were the thing. The actors weren't necessarily gay. Supposedly he introduced John Wayne to the practice and there are pictures floating around the internet. He said it helped him relax. I've seen a picture of John Wayne, Jack Lemmon, and Sal Mineo together looking a mess in drag.

[growl]

I just recently watched a documentary about him on TCM. Many stars spoke of making movies for him, but many of the stories made him seem like a real asshole. Seems he liked to start trouble among the actors, or pick a victim and harass them. Apparently this was well tolerated among his actors because they seeemed to have great affection for him. And he really did make magnificent movies! But I don't care for people like that, I think they are bullies.

[salvatore1989]

' ...many of the stories made him seem like a real asshole'---I saw "Directed By John Ford". Nobody had a nice thing to say about him other than his work.

[Dulcinea]

I read that Maureen O'Hara biography, too "'Tis Herself". It was really great. She seemed to have a love/hate relationship for him. A lot of it had to do with the fact that they were both Irish.

[VeuveClicquotNJ]

I believe his daughter, Barbara, was married very (like 6 months!) briefly to Robert Walker, and then for a longer period to Ken "Festus" Curtis.

I recall a picture of her with Robert Walker - to say she was um...plain...was to be charitable.

VCNJ~